DeSoto Parish Schools are celebrating significant improvements in early literacy achievement after newly released assessment data showed major reading gains among students across the district during the 2025–2026 school year.
According to district officials, results from the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) assessment revealed that the percentage of kindergarten through third-grade students reading at or above grade level increased from 70 percent at the end of the 2024–2025 school year to 80 percent in 2025–2026 — a notable 10-point increase districtwide.
School leaders credited the progress to the combined efforts of educators, students, and families working together to strengthen literacy skills at an early age.
“This growth reflects the strong commitment of our educators, students, and families to excellence in early literacy,” said Willa Smith, Supervisor of Student Learning.
“Grounded in our core values of high performance and making a difference, we have remained focused on ensuring every child builds a strong literacy foundation,” Smith said. “This milestone is not just a measure of progress, but a testament to what is possible when a community aligns around student success.”
District officials also highlighted literacy improvements across individual campuses, including Logansport High School, Mansfield Elementary School, North DeSoto Lower Elementary, North DeSoto Upper Elementary, and Stanley High School.
Superintendent Clay Corley called early literacy one of the most critical indicators of long-term student achievement and praised teachers and families for their role in reaching the district’s new benchmark.
“Early literacy is undeniably the single most important indicator of a student’s future success,” Corley said. “Reaching this 80 percent proficiency milestone doesn’t happen by accident; it is the direct result of the hard work and high performance of our teachers in the classroom, combined with the irreplaceable support of our families at home.”
“Together, we are living out our mission to make a difference in the lives of our students by building the strong literacy foundation our students need for lifelong success,” he added.
The district’s progress comes as Louisiana continues emphasizing literacy achievement through state legislation designed to strengthen reading proficiency among young learners.
Under Act No. 520, all kindergarten through third-grade students in traditional public schools are required to participate in literacy screening assessments. Additionally, Act No. 422 mandates that third-grade students scoring at the lowest achievement level on the literacy screener may not advance to fourth grade.
District leaders said the legislation reinforces the importance of ensuring students develop strong reading skills by the end of third grade.
DeSoto Parish Schools are also encouraging families to continue supporting literacy development at home by reading regularly with children, creating reading-friendly environments, and incorporating vocabulary-building activities into daily routines.
The district says it remains committed to fostering a love of reading and ensuring every student develops the literacy skills needed for long-term academic and personal success.